A Love Lost To War
by Icebabe59
Summary: John and Molly knew each other growing up and loved each other, but fate got in the way. AU written for Gentle-Blue who requested a bittersweet ending. I hope I did well.


**Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to BBC's Sherlock or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes or anything like that.**

* * *

John Watson was only twelve years old when he met Molly Hooper, but he was sure that he would love her forever. He met her at a school dance, she was just a year below him and to him it was love at first sight.

Molly had been nervous about going to the dance, she hadn't been planning on going, but her friends had insisted. Since she never was very good at standing up to peer pressure, so she decided to go.

When John asked Molly to dance during one of those awkwardly slow songs that the teachers insisted on playing even though only the older kids really danced he thought his heart would burst it was beating so fast. Molly on the other had been surprised anyone had asked her to dance at all.

"You look really nice, what's your name?" John asked as he lightly took Molly's hand and mirrored the position he saw among the older boys by placing his unoccupied hand lightly on her waist.

"Molly Hooper," she only barely managed not to stutter, "Thank you. What's your name?"

"John Watson, you are in the year below me right?" He tried to shuffle them around in small circles as they talked.

Molly nodded in affirmation; she knew who John was mostly because all of the girls in her year loved to talk about the 'handsome rugby player' in the year above them. "Are you going to keep playing rugby?" She asked quietly after a couple seconds of awkward silence between them.

"What? Oh, yeah I really enjoy it, but eventually I want to be a surgeon. What do you do in your spare time?" He was trying his best to be courteous by asking Molly about herself.

"I read mostly, I'm afraid I'm not particularly inclined to sports." Molly kept her head down; people generally didn't find her interesting because she simply isn't interested in sports.

"That's cool." John really did find it interesting. Not a lot of girls took reading seriously and since he was starting to look at medicine as a career studying was already a somewhat important part of his schooling. Of course the fact that his father was a surgeon played into those plans.

The two continued talking for a while and the ending of the song took them by surprise. John stayed by her side for most of the night and Molly enjoyed every second of it.

* * *

The two became fast friends; they often met up at the nearby park after school and just talked for hours until Molly would have to practically run home she was so late.

John and Molly both cherished every moment of it. The time they spent together seemed suspended, like the clocks stopped ticking when they were together, even though they both knew that wasn't true.

* * *

They had their first kiss when John was sixteen. They were on break from school for a week or so and the two had decided to go out to the cinema for fun that afternoon. After the movie was over John took Molly to a little out of the way ice cream parlor.

Molly ordered a simple chocolate ice cream cone while John got vanilla ice cream.

"I will never understand why you insist on having plain vanilla ice cream." Molly teased him as they sat down at one of the little tables.

"And I will never understand your obsession with chocolate, but it is part of why I like you so much." John's smile grew about two sizes to fill his entire face when Molly teased him like that. He wouldn't change these moments for all the money in the world.

"It's the endorphins I'm sure." Molly took a lick of the ice cream and smiled a little as she got some on her nose. She giggled a little as she grabbed for a napkin to wipe the cold treat from her nose. "You know, chocolate stimulates the section on your brain that registers falling in love."

John managed to get to the napkin first though. "Let me." He offered quietly as he brushed the napkin across her nose. "Yeah, I've heard that once or twice."

"Thanks." Molly looked away right after trying to hide the faint blush that made its way across her cheeks, silently kicking herself for that last comment.

They finished their ice cream in companionable quiet after that and held hands on the way back to her place. They had started holding hands over a year ago and it was as much an expression of affection as it was a form of comfort for the both of them.

When they reached her door they hugged and as Molly pulled away John, acting on impulse, easily pulled her back. He gently places his hand on her chin and pulls her mouth to his for a light, chaste kiss that lasts less than a second.

Molly was surprised by his actions, but is not opposed to them in the least. Without a word she smiled up at him, she didn't trust her voice just yet. It didn't matter of course because John interpreted the smile correctly and returned it.

"Good night Molly Hooper." He whispered before turning and walking to his own house.

"Good night John Watson." As those words left her lips in just a whisper she watched his retreating back, hopeful for what would happen in the future.

* * *

John was studying for his medical board exams when he heard the news. The world was going to war in the Middle East; places that he felt were so far away. He didn't want to think about it at first, but as the days wore on and the stories started pouring in. September in particular seemed to be a disaster.

Molly and he were sitting on his sofa watching some romantic movie or another when they finally talked about it.

"Are you going to sign up John?" Molly asked in her quiet voice. She both wanted him to say yes and no. On one had she knew he would feel bad if he let other young men go to war and he did not, but she didn't want him to leave, not when he could die.

"I haven't decided yet, I still want to finish my schooling, I only have to pass the boards now to be a proper doctor." He said quietly.

He moved his arm more firmly around Molly pulling her close to his side. They had officially been going out for a year now and he loved every second of it, the thought of having to leave her for military service was not a decision he would take lightly.

John eventually did sign up; the army needed doctors almost more than it needed foot soldiers. Right after he left the recruiting center he went to Molly's house. She had known that he was going to sign up, but that didn't prepare her for the despair she felt when he arrived at her door.

"John." She managed to breathe his name as the tears threatened to break through. She couldn't hold them for long though and as soon as John's arms were around her in a tight hug she found herself sobbing into his shirt.

John led Molly into her sitting room and sat with her on the love seat. They just sat there for a long while and John rubbed Molly's back as she proceeded to soak his shirt.

"I know this won't exactly be easy for either of us, but I have to go Molly, you know that." John had waited to talk until Molly's sobs had turned to little sniffles and the hiccups had begun to fade away.

"Yes, I know John. I understand the need to go, to do something in this war, I just don't want to come home from work one day at Bart's and find out that you were shot." Her voice was so quiet that John had to strain to hear it.

"I promise I will do my best not to get shot okay." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and gathered her as close as possible, squeezing her to him tightly.

"I still wish you didn't have to go, but I understand that you feel the need to go, your bloody warrior complex. I understand, but I don't have to like it." She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest.

John chuckled a little, "No I suppose you don't have to like it, but I would like it if you still wrote me while I was away. Maybe you would wait for me?"

Molly abruptly looked up at John, for him to ask something like that was akin to asking her to marry him with how slowly he took their relationship. "Yes, of course I will. I will wait for you as long as I have to John as long as you promise to come home alive and in one piece."

They ended up watching movies and John stayed the night. They fell asleep on her sofa wrapped up in each other's arms, their hands clasped together.

* * *

They spent the next few weeks together until John had to leave. It seemed they were together every moment possible John even come in some times and sat while Molly worked on paperwork at Bart's. He had been so proud of her when she got a job there. She had graduated early by about a year and was already know as one of the best pathologists at the lab.

The last time she saw him before he left though was the hardest. Molly did the best she could to keep from crying and it helped that they were at a farewell party. John would leave the next day to go to the basic training camp before actually going to the battlefield.

They talked and laughed and held hands in front of his family. When she started to leave for the night John pulled her back to his side and smiled as his family left later that night.

They fell asleep together one more time their hands intertwined and breathing slow. That night it didn't matter if the world crashed down around them, they would just lay there.

* * *

There were two years of letters mailed back and forth between the two of them. John kept the first one from Molly close to him from years.

_Dear John, _

_Oh goodness that sounds awful doesn't it? If it makes you feel better I promise I'm not breaking up with you. I'm actually writing you to tell you that I love and miss you._

_Nothing particularly interesting has happened the last few weeks since you left. I'm thinking about getting a cat, I never asked if you are allergic to cats or anything. Are you allergic to cats? I hope you aren't I think they are adorable. _

_So what is the training camp like? Do you have any friends there yet? Do they have you treating anyone yet? _

_Sorry I can't think of more to write, mum sends her love and dad says hello. _

_With Love,_

_Molly Hooper xxx_

John had that letter tucked away in his uniform pocket for a long time. The others he kept in his bag and treasured every single one of them.

His first letter back to her had been sweet and simple. Molly loved looking at it. She had read it over so many times in the first month alone that she was worried it would fall apart.

_Dear Molly,_

_Yes, it does sound awful to see the words 'Dear John' on a letter, except that that is my name and I want to be dear to you. It does make me feel better to know you aren't contemplating leaving me and I love you too. I miss you dearly, but that can't really be helped can it? I feel like I am in the right place being here, they actually need me here Molly. _

_I'm sorry nothing particularly interesting has happened to you. I'm sure work provides some sort of distraction though. I have been extremely busy with training and when we aren't training I work with the medics here so that I can learn more about what they call field first aid. _

_I'm not allergic to cats at all and I hope you pick out one that will keep you plenty of company. Name him or her something cute though like Toby or Cathy. Okay so that last one was a joke, but still. . . _

_I have a few friends here but definitely none worth mentioning to a lady like you. The men here are rough and I can't blame them, and if they aren't then they will be by the time they see action. _

_With Love,_

_John Watson _

For two years the letters were a lot like that, there were few differences, but the last one that arrived to John was far different from the rest. The week before the letter came John was shot in the shoulder, he had been in and out of consciousness for days, once he received the letter he wished he had stayed unconscious though.

Molly sent the letter to John days before she found out what had happened to him. When she got the news she cried for hours and wished she hadn't sent the letter. The only consolation in the situation was him, the man in her life, the only one she would really love forever.

* * *

It was a long time before John saw Molly again; he hadn't exactly planed on seeing her. He was out on a date with his new wife Mary. He had met her at his rehabilitation sessions. She was very pretty and he noticed, so one day he asked her out and she said yes. They were married about a year later.

At the dinner he was laughing at something Mary had told him when he saw her sitting at a table across the room with someone else, someone tall with dark curly hair, although he couldn't tell anything more than that from where he was sitting.

He had told Mary about Molly and he was open enough to tell her when he saw Molly sitting across the room. She of course insisted on being polite and stopping to say hello to Molly on their way out of the restaurant, and he didn't argue against it. It might be nice to see what his oldest friend was up to these days.

"Hello Molly." He said quietly holding Mary's had as much for support as to show Molly that he was in a relationship.

She looked up suddenly; she hadn't expected to hear that voice ever again. "Hello John." She smiled nervously not sure how exactly to react, but it was genuine all the same.

The introductions were awkward and the conversation was worse, but John smiled through it glad that Molly was happy. Molly smiled through the conversation as well her only thought being that she was happy that John was happy.

As she hugged him goodbye she whispered in his ear, careful that the man sitting at the table wouldn't hear. "She is lovely John, I'm glad you are happy."

"Yeah, you got yourself a fine man too Molly, see you around." John managed and then snaked his arm around Mary's waist as they left. The words from Molly's last letter ran though his mind as he lay awake that night, but they left as soon as Mary joined him and cuddled into his side.

* * *

_Dear John,_

_I am so sorry to have to do this through a letter. I didn't want this to happen at all, and I want you to realize that I love you and always will, but I fell in love with someone else too. _

_I want to wish you all the best and future happiness. I don't know what else to tell you. I promise he is protective of me and I won't want for anything. _

_With Care,_

_Molly Hooper_

_P.S. His name is Sherlock Holmes. _


End file.
